USPTO Patents Application 10070939

REMARKS

Applicants request that this Preliminary Amendment be made of record and fully
considered prior to the first office action on the merits. Upon entry of this Amendment, claims
12-23, 25-43 and 45-48 are pending. Any inquiry regarding this matter may be directed to the
undersigned representative at (612) 677-9050.

Respectfully submitted,

331 Second Avenue South, Suite 895
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401-2246
Telephone: (612) 677-9050
Facsimile: (612) 359-9349

Serial No. Unknown

Version with Markings to Show Chanees Made

In the Specification:

Paragraph beginning at line 2 of page 9 has been amended as follows:

A guiding aid for an instrument to be advanced within a vascular system, particularly the
human vascular system, comprising a flexible shapeable shaft [(2)] comprising a first bent
section [(4)] having a first curvature (Ki) and at least one further bent section [(6)], wherein said
bent sections [(4, 6)] of said shaft [(2)] have the same sign of curvature and are located
substantially within the same plane [plain (E)]. Such a guiding aid may be pre-formed by the
manufacturer such that the guiding aid may be introduced into vascular branchings both from
: y*rge lumen and small lumen vessels by a physician manipulating the instrument from its
j groximal end. [Fig 4]

paragraph beginning at line 2 of page 1, has been amended as follows:
Q — Field of the Invention ~ .

^Paragraph beginning at line 5 of page 1, has been amended as follows:
^ — Background of the Invention — .

jlaragraph beginning at line 17 of page 2, has been amended as follows:
\2 — Summary of the Invention — .

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igaragraph beginning at line 10 of page 4, has been amended as follows:
I'U — Brief Description of the Drawings — .

Paragraph beginning at line 22 of page 4, has been amended as follows:

~ Detailed Description of the Inventio n ~ .

In the Claims:

Claims 16, 17 and 18 have been cancelled.

Claims 1-15 have been amended as follows:

1. (Once Amended) A_g[G]uiding aid for an instrument to be advanced within a
vascular system comprising a flexible shapeable shaft [(2) comprising] including a first bent
section [(4)] having a first curvature Ki, [characterized by shaft (2) comprises] and at least one
further bent section [(6)], with said bent sections [(4, 6)] of said shaft [(2)] having the same sign
of curvature and being located substantially in the same plane [plain (E)].

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2. (Once Amended) The_g[G]uiding aid [as claimed in] of claim 1, [characterized in
that said] wherein the shaft [(2)] comprises a single further or second bent section [(6)] having a
second curvature K 2 , which second bent section is located proximal to the first bent section [(4)].

3. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in] of claim 2, [characterized in
that] wherein the radius of the first curvature Ki of said first bent section [(4)] is smaller than the
radius of the second curvature K 2 of said second bent section [(6)].

4. (Once Amended) The g fGluiding aid [as claimed in anyone of claims 2 or] of
claim 3, [characterized in that said shaft (2) comprises] further comprising a straight intermediate
section [(8)] between said first bent section [(4)] and said second bent section [(6)].

:.c« 5. (Once Amended) The g fGluiding aid [as claimed in anyone of the preceding
|'|laims, characterized in that said shaft (2) comprises] of claim 4, further comprising a straight
and section [(10)] distal to the first bent section [(4)].

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< ( D 6. (Once Amended) The g |"G]uiding aid [as claimed in claims 4 and] of claim 5,
Lfbharacterized in that] wherein the straight end section [(10)] and the straight intermediate
''gbction [(8)] include a first obtuse angle (<Xi).

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I : ^ 7. (Once Amended) The g [G1uiding aid [as claimed in claim 4 or in claims 4 and 5
i'gr in] of claim 6, [characterized in that] wherein said straight intermediate section [(8) and] along
j tjie axis [(12)] of the [instrument] guiding aid includes a second obtuse angle (a 2 ).

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j |j 8. (Once Amended) The g [G1uiding aid [as claimed in] of claim [6 or] 7,
[characterized in that] wherein said first obtuse angle (ct\) and[/or] second obtuse angle (cc 2 ) are
between 120° and 150° [and preferably are about 135°].

9. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in anyone of the preceding
claims, characterized in that] of claim 1, wherein said bent sections [(4, 6)] are substantially in
the shaped of a circular arc.

10. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in anyone of the preceding
claims, characterized in that] of claim U wherein said shaft [(2)] is tapered toward[s] its distal
end [(14)].

11. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in anyone of the preceding
claims, characterized in that] of claim L wherein a helically wound spring [(16, 20)] is located
around at least a part of said shaft [(2)].

12. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in] of claim 11, [characterized
in that] wherein said helically wound spring [(20)] is provided at its distal end with a rounded
terminal element [(18)].

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13. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in anyone of the preceding
claims, characterized in that] of claim 1, wherein said shaft [(2)] is made of a material having
superelastic characteristics.

14. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in] of claim 13, [characterized
in that] wherein said shaft [(2)] is made of superelastic nitinol.

15. (Once Amended) The g [G]uiding aid [as claimed in anyone of the preceding
claims] of claim 1, [characterized in that] wherein radiopaque means [(20)] are provided in the
region of said distal end [(14)] of said shaft [(2)].

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